Inspired!

NIGERIA’S NEXT TOP MODEL – THE EVENT

So a lot of people have been emailing and asking me about ‘Nigeria’s Next Top Model’.Anyways, ‘Nigeria’s Next Top Model’ is an EVENT not a TV reality show/competition like America’s Next Top Model. It will be taking place later this month in London.I think it’s a great idea although I really wish this would have been more like the American Top Model reality show format with the whole thing taking place in Nigeria but I guess this is a start. I understand that subsequent ‘seasons/cycles’ will attempt to follow US Top Model format.A contact at Bankable Productions informed me that they are yet to secure the official rights to officially use the Top Model name (all other top model competitions worldwide like Britain’s Next Top Model, Canada’s Next Top Model, Germany’s Next Top Model etc…had to buy the official franchise rights from Tyra’s Bankable Productions) so I hope they sort that out soon.Anyways, below is the criteria that was used and also information on the prizes that the winner will receive.

CriteriaFemale aged between 18 – 28 yrsOf a minimum height of 5.8”No more than a size 12 (UK) dressCurrently engaged in formal studies/professional career womanNigerian by birth, parentage, grand parentage (they reserve the right to ask that the contestant prove this fact at any time)

The Winner Gets- Worldwide recognition as the Nigerian Top Model 2007 and featured on TV, Radio and Print advertising campaigns and fashion promotional campaigns and events.- Featured in prominent ethnic and mainstream UK magazines.- The opportunity to be showcased as the ‘Face of New Nigeria’ as part of the ongoing ‘Heart of Africa’ rebranding campaign- Opportunity to take part aboard the CATWALK THE WORLD Charity Fashion Event in Johannesburg South Africa- Sessions with award winning professional photographers in order that enviable professional model portfolios can be put together- A cash prizes of £1000- Wardrobe maintenance for the year- A working holiday trip to Nigeria as part of the worldwide exposure campaign to work aboard UNICEF projects in Nigeria with young children- Free spa weekend- Editorial spread and photo shoot courtesy of the very excellent Diamond Touch Magazine and top class couturier- Make up sessions with a leading makeup artist to the stars – MINK Cosmetics- Several styling sessions with award winning hair stylists.Free nail and body care maintenance for the whole year courtesy of Harriet Stein – Beauty Inn – LondonPlus many other prizes.

Exclusive Pics

Here is the flyer for the event

Looks like it will be a fun event so do attend so if you are in London, check it out! Their website is http://www.nigerianexttopmodel.com/index.html. A portion of the proceeds go to the UN Hunger For Food Program so support the great cause. The winner also gets a True Love West Africa cover and also win a contract with O Models South Africa (Owned by Oluchi and Jan Malan) www.janmalan.com

So what do you think of the concept? The contestants? and what direction would you like to see the competiton head in the future?

some of the girls have some rather awkward poses, but there are a few winners on there. I wish them all luck.Modelling is tough! So is Nnenna hosting the show? Or they’re just using her face for promo?

If they are YET to secure the franchise and from what it appears intellectual property rights to the name,”Next Top Model” why use it????????? Ridiculous!These young girls want to be NNTM. It’s not a joke. Secure the name and rights first, then put yourself in the public eye. You don’t want to waste monies that should go to the winner fighting a law suit! Also, what’s with most Naija “fashion” related events these days using Nnnena’s image. Do they even have permission. Na wa! Naija our “copy copy” ti poju! The producers have not bought the ANTM, so avoid Nnnena’s face and her ANTM picture till you secure the name and IP rights. Hello? The contestants are okay. I’ve seen stronger looks from Naija. HUGE, HUGE props, however, to the use of Naija fabrics and accesories. BUT, get a stronger stylist to get more of the sexy traditional/modern Naija designs for the photoshoots. Wrapping the shawl/gele fabrics around the body is really not creative. It looks more like a pagent than model like. They should also get a stronger photographer to bring out the “funky” in the girls. Strong post as usual Bella! Pls. give an update on franchise issue.

I am loving the concept but it sdoes seem like a beauty pagent format which i think does not suit editorial modelling. I really do want them to secure the proper rights so the model can get the best package possible if we can secure Pop Idol & Big Brother Next Top Model should be a doddle..

I do likle the pictures and some of the Models Not all have alot of potential! remeber not all models are Pretty pretty Beautiful in convential terms. Models faces have to be like a blank canvass..Thats just my 50pence worth oh!

no disrespect to anyone but haba U GUYS ARE HATERS ITS NOT FAIR SUPPORT UR PPLE FOR ONCE IN THIS LIFE>>>>>IF THIS IS HOW WE KEEP BADMOUTHING EVERYONES EFFORTS IN NAIJA WILL WE EVER GET ANYWHERE…YALL SHOULD DO SMTHING BIG AS WELL INSTEAD OF PUTTIN THEM DOWN AND YES THE REASON ITS IN UK IS COS OF WHAT HAPPENED IN NAIJA WHEN THE MISS WORLD PEAGENT WAS TO TAKE PLACE ALL THE SHARIA STUFF

Though most of the girls looked really *hmmm* in the pics, I think this newly embraced concept is as wonderful as others concerning NGR. I hope they pull it off and I wish the organizers a pot full of luck!p.s.If this is gonna be themed Nigeria’s NTM, I suggest they let our vastly differentiated culture reflect in this event. Another great enterpreneurial concept and it didn’t come from truth *sob sob*…then *wink*

I’m glad Naija is getting some love from “America’s Next Top Model” franchise. I would have prefer it if this was a show and not an event. I would love to see the clips of the show online. It’s ashame the official site is down.

When i was first contacted about Nigerias top Model, my first reactin was its a “farce” why is it being held in London? why are the contestants in question not currently resident in the Nigeria? like u i had my doubts and worries.but the fact of the matter is Why not?? what makes the contestansts and indeed the organisers less Nigerian than anyone else?The fact that the contestants are Nigerians who currently live and work in the UK makes no difference as all they did was answer to Nigerias call.

The 1st 2 lines of the national anthem reads“Arise o compatriots,Nigeria’s call obey”

Whether these girls reside in Nigeria or not isnt the euestion, the question is actually how Nigerian they are and nobody has the right to question anyone else’e patriotism. Ironically most of these sort of comments are coming from fellow Nigerians whom like me, dont even live in Nigeria and havent for ages, i wonder if they arent questioning their own pariotism rather than the contestants??

Also in the UK this years marks the 200th anniversary of the end of slavery and the focus is all on Africa, so what better time to strike?

Its a shame that we can’t come together and hope for the best as this is the 1st of its kind, instead most of us sit back and criticise. Alot of people also claim to have thought about doing something of its kind ages ago, well if u are one of those, that’s tough, the people involved in this are DO-ers not Talk-ers, so please give us your support as well as your crticisms.

After all the debate on our “patriotism” we are already gettin asked when Cycle 2 is starting………… well watch this space as after the show on the 27th of April, we start Cycyle 2, a bigger and broader search with Nigerians obeying the call from all over the world.

i find it weird why some girls just can’t help hating on other girls….why do u have to come here and post comments like ‘these girls aren’t pretty’ and shit like dat?!! i wonder how u look urself, i think u all have some self-esteem issues, for u to take ur time to ay all these mean stuff about people. go work out, get fit, eat healthy and mind your own freaking business. shit!!!!

i think the idea is nice but,it seems more like a beauty show tahn a modelling thing, models have to go through a lot to prove to the world that they deserve to be models and taht they can handle the pressure. i think that one show would not be a enough to determine whether each of them really has potential. it seems more like a pagent to me. the girls are nice and it is a bold step. i also think that the name issue should have been sorted out before the name came out ,whether the name has got “NEXT” or not. we all know that people will start calling it niger next top model. And that could cause some tension.

I wish all the next top models luck. But in the mean time Adora is my future wife, she just doesn’t know yet. I learnt that she loves cooking, so do I. I wish to cherish and love her. To have and to hold, in sickness and fitness,as long as no man comes between us. I’ll be at the event with my camera exclusively for her inner beauty & curves. MWAH! Hail any Nigerian of the +ve side of every street sidewalk and avenue in life. Naija 4eva.

Most of you have read my posts on the Nigerias top model’s group and indeed on my facebook.For the last 3 months i have vermently defendended and campaigned tirelessly for somebody else’s dream which i belived in.The person is question is a lady called Sandra Whalberta Powers( if that indeed is her real name, she has a sister named Claudia who went to Coventry university alumni 2001, u might know of her)She approached a talented friend of Mine Z(Ngz), who is the creative director and indeed brains behind ZEDEYE fashions(a kitsch uk fashion brand)with her vision of Nigeria’s Top Model.Miss Powers who has no experience in the Fashion world( Girls, hr favourite fashion items were a pair of Pink Joggers, grey high heels and a pinstripped blazer)and worked in project mangement, sought Z’s console and help in this matter.Miss powers is very persuasive as she is loud, she also speaks 3 languagues,is quite witty and has the gift of the gab, basically a sweet talker,basically full of SHIT!My mate Z then gets me and another friend of mine onboard and we meet with Sandra. Throughout the turbulent weeks ahead, we found that most of the things we were being told were untrue or half true but soldiered on as dont belive in starting and not finishing…we continued, on with the show..3 weeks before the competition on the 27th, the girls had nothing to show..( they had only done 1 photoshoot over 3 months, taken time off work and studies, transported and fed themselves to and fro to rehearsals e.t.c)Instead she took them round TV stations on talk shows not about the Models or the competition but on Business Women and Women in Business. The models pretty as they were sat in silence like throphies while she wabbled on about how fabulous and hard working she was.Finding her unbearbale and uneasy to work we, my friends and i talked things over as we were the ones with the connections and reputations in the UK( I got Select Models on Board as well as a friend who is the 6th most influential person on the high street in the Uk and shopping editor of Grazia Magazine, as well as the Fashion editor of the Daily Mirror and Pride magazine as judges at the competition, My friend Z negotiated the 15 outfits that were given to us by the really nice Adebayo Jones, while my other friend D, got Gulder and Gusiness to sponsor the event as well as the Mayor of London’s office to support this event)We confronted Sandra with our fears as she had turned out to be a one woman army by taking which ever of the models wherever she wanted, she then rebuffed each of us at different stages and so we all quit at different stages, but stayed on for the good of the show and indeed the girls. She thens promptly informs us on Monday that her partner had collapsed, she became unreachable for 2 days!!! we have 4 days before the show

Fast Forward to 2 days before the show, we confront Sandra about payment( she had paid me£300 at this time less than a quarter of my fee)and about the fact that the Artists Billed on the flyer . A friend of mine from Blacknights entertainment who basically run things in the Najia circle when it comes to partyinghad told me earlier thathe had spoken to TUFACE’s manager and that they would not be attending the event. She was well aware in due time tha TUFACE would not be present so please sue her for an invitation to treat on the flyer, u could earn some quick cash if u have actually used ur money to pay for an event that didnt deliever what it promised on the flyer.

Also we found out that Sandra hadnt even paid the production company therefore the Hall for the evnt wont be ready until late on Friday, the day of the event!!

We then confronted Miss Powers about this and she denied this just like judas did Jesus, 3 times before the end of the night!!That same evening, the girls are supposed to be staying all together in a hotel (this is thursady the 26th)we get to the Hotel and Miss had her Credit Cardsssssss Rejected, in the end she managed to pay for the girls for a nite, but theyhad to feed themselves and were warned by Sandra order anything at your peril!!

I had sent sandra an email demanding my final payment and she had insulted me, so once again i quit. The manipulator gets on the phone and starts crying and begging me with her Manly voice, blah blah blah….Being the fool i was i told her not to worry, On with the show( Sandra, incase u are reading this with ur evil heart, FYI i have ur emails, phone messages, everytime we dicussed money i recorded).

My friends and i (3 muskertees in this fucked up scenario) decide that the girls have to eat something so we take them to a chinese buffet round the corner which even though Sandra Paid for, was the least she could do.While we were there, she asked one of the models out for a chat and held her prisoner for over an hour whiLe she went on an on).

Earlier that day, sandra had told Z and I that she wanted Ivie Omo out of the contest, when we asked her why, she gave us a shitty answer, MY PARTNER DOESNT LIKE HER!! Rewind to last week, we were on a promotional walk in PRIMROSE HILL trying to drum up publicity, there were 15 contestants and 5 other people that needed to be transported to the HILL, the drives up Sandra’s Man in his HUMMERRRRRR.

Sandra then instructs IvIE AND 2 other chics to ride with her boyfriend to the park , i am not sure what happened there or after that, all i know is after this incident she started hating on IVIE O( NTM GIRLS, U CAN BACK ME UP ON THIS, IAM SURE). The afternoon of the 27th, Sandra comes in to the dressing room( its 6pm, the stage isnt even ready and the doors open at 7pm)and wants another worddddd with Ivie and asks her to LEAVE…

This caused a major unrest and Z quit once again and we all began to pack up our bits and bobs, there was uproar as Z didnt hold back and asked Sandra to tell us, infront of the contestants why she wanted to kick Ivie out of the competition after she promised she wasnt going to?? she couldnt answer, she culd only mange to string a few sentences to a very vexed Z in IGBO.We give her an ultimatum as everything draws to a holt( Hair dryers off, make up artist case shuts, Irons unplugged e.t.c)We lether know that either Ivie is in or we are OUT!!

After much persuasion from the MC(I forgot his name but he was really nice and was cheated by the FRAUDSTER too, he like i cried out of pain, he had lost his dad 3 weeks ago and took the gig as MC to raise some funds for the funeral, u BITCH\!!!) We soldier on, Calm the already nervous girls down, did i mention that they were asked to sell tickets too and were not even allowed free tickets for their friends and family!!!

The show is running 2 hours behind schedule and there are no drinks about, Sandra Powers had decided to sell the 20 crates of Guiness that MY friend D had secure for free!)The judges( From Select, Grazia and Pride) i had brought, were sat at the table for 2 hours as well as everybody else in the audience waiting for the show to start.The contestants , Z and i are backstage finishing off hair and make up and getting into their outfits, i ask one of the models to run down to the bar to get some drinks as we were all parched, she comes back and tells me that they had asked her to pay for the bottles of water. so i go downstairs to the bar and demand drinks to which i am met with the same reply. by the bar, i notice the Witches Partner so i turn to him 4 hep but he acts like he hadnt a clue what i was talking about, WE HAVE TO BUY WATER FOR THE MODELS

The show carries on but behind the scene tempers are fraying, The production team, hostesses,ushers,The hair and make up team( who were brought together by Z) were thirsty and did not like the way they had been treated as they too had been refused water, its now 10pm, there is absloutely no where near the venue to get water from) also there is tension between Sandra and I as well and Z. Even the GELE woman was upset, she had been at the venue since 5pm, it was late and she hadnt been paid for her services, she had work at 5:30 am the next day.

,We were pissed off, just wanted to get through the show, Sandra faffs about another change of clothing( after all, the event is all about her not the MODELS) and then goes on stage to make a speech, forgetting to thank anythibg or anyone who had actually BUSTED THEIR GUTS to make the show credible and indeed a success.

Then the show ends………………Ola wins, that’s it. she doesnt speak to the girls, no after care, she has just VANISHED.

She has also refused to pay me £600 she owes me, the £1200, she owes my mate Z and the £400 she owes my other friend, she also owes our lovely photographer friend Charlotte Kibbles lots of money too( see http://www.charlottekibbles.com, she is great)since the event i have been in touch with all the contestants and indeed the winners who feel quitely bemused and let down as SANDRA POWERS has left them high and dry.Ola the winner isnt even sure if she will get any of the things the winner was promised, the only thing she has gotten is the Ticket to Nigeria which was free from Virgin Nigeria which was acquired by Matthew Mensah…. Thanks.

I have left her loads of messages and emails to no avail, that’s why i am letting everyone know how this lady has ripped me and many other people who believed in this thing off.

Its not really about the money( thankfully i have a good full time job to compensate) but its about how let down i feel about this.

I have been working quite successfully in the UK as a fashion stylist and PR manager for over 8years, i have never done anything towards fashion in Nigeria or indeed Africa before (Apart from Deola Sagoes NEW LOOK BOOK and campaign shots) this was my first time.

I was intially very proud to be part of this but now i have been left HIGH AND FUCKING DRY, i feel quite hurt. This is just why as Nigerians we never get anywhere, we always try to cheat or out smart everybody else.

The real winner of this Sham Model serach that i am ashamed to have been involved with is SANDRA WHALBERTA POWERS( aka lady with the fake name)she made money from the ticket sales and the drinks as well as a chance of being the business woman of the year, i imagine she is running for.

Arieta, highly unfortunate. My instinct and initial irritation proved to be right. Partly because I had covered a similar story BUT that story was super aggriegious and was committed by an African American woman based in San Francisco, at the time, her name is Jacinta Law. Google her and be careful in case she comes to London doing double speak. Thanks for exposing the con-artist. Hopefully, that serves as a deterrence for her. Credentials are always super important in this fashion game. It was clear she was a rip off from the get go ripping off Tyra Bank’s name. Sad on the FASHION 419 but at this point,all ppl can do is move on and/or sue her.

It is not a sin to have a vision.It is not a sin to share that vision.It is not wrong to believe that no matter what life throws at you, you can and will overcome.A lot of people though the NTM event would not go ahead and in the face of the most seemingly insurmountable of obstacles it has.It is not the first time that one would be verbally decapitated by people who one had trusted so much but sure enough, it is the most painful to date.

Arieta Mujay was brought on board as PR for the NTM event and having done her best to garner the best of PR for us, she had put pen to paper and is now from all accounts doing her best to garner the worst. What good such vitriol will do – I am at a loss to say.

Having being recommended by a lady whose business judgement I had trusted, it fills me with sadness to see how the hands that built a home (NTM) can deign to scatter the home.

To all that wonder who this blogger is, let me let you in on the secret, this is Sandra – the show organiser for the NTM event.

Yes there were pressures, yes it was our inaugural event, yes our post-mortem says that there are a number of things we will correct the second time round going forward, yes there were doubters who didn’t think we could pull this off, yes we DID pull it off.

How something so beautiful could end up as a medusa – ugly and vile – I don’t know.

True the following apply;

I have deep voiceI speak three languages – Hausa, Igbo and YorubaMy partner may drive a HummerI have a sister called Claudia (and please leave her alone for she has done nothing to you and as I recall she warned me about you)

But the following do not apply;

I am not aka as anything other than Sandra PowersI am not full of SHIT, not a witch, a bitch or a fraudsterMy favourite articles of clothing are not pink joggers, grey heel or pin stripped blazer – I hasten to add Arieta this could well be pot calling kettle black – my sense of style is certainly more sedate. i dare say with your hodgely podgely scatterred sense of style, it is you that you so aptly describe.I have not put my name into the hat hoping to win businesswoman of the year award – that is not why the NTM event was conceived. I did for the love of my country – I am Nigerian first businesswoman second. I have always defended this intiative as an opportunity to obey to the call to promote brand Nigeria.Having invested well over £40K to see this event make manifest, I failed to make enough money from ticket sales let alone drinks. I did not make up to £5Kfrom ticket and drink sales and only £2K in financial sponsorship. I specifically took a Cambridge maths graduate to handle the figures (and there were lots of them) that I could see what was going our and what was coming in. I welcome anyone who wishes to see these figures.Of the 20 crates of Guinness that were given by Malta Guinness, 10 were free and 10 were given to us at cost. We sold only 5 and have had to give 5 back. Malta Guiness and Guiness imports have us on record for this.My credit cardssss were not rejected by the Novotel Hammersmith and to date a payment of £952 representing payment for a one night stay by al 15 models has left my account – please call Novotel on 0208/7411555 to confirmThe production company was paid well before the event – to all who wish to verify this fact please call John Watson (Office & Events Manager. Corporate Events UK Ltd – Tel ; 08707 66 22 14 (ext) 24.

By all means bleat about as much as you can with all the vitriol you can muster, you will not break me or indeed the sense of achievement that ‘I feel that at least this event came to pass.

This person that you describe is not me nor is it painting a correct a right picture. Arise O compatriots, Arieta Mujay’s words please do not heed!!!!! For they have been tossed like ugba – African Salad!!! Full of palm oil and alum that makes the stains emanating from it stick to anything it comes into contact with.

The NTM event was always going to be full of drama and emotions were bound to run high, alas not even I forsaw this. The show went on and as far as attendees and participants alike inform me, tey can’t wait for future productions.

The show will go on Arleta and most certainly NOT WITH YOU ON BOARD. We have secured an admirable support system going forward and given your actions perhaps it is safe to say that the concept will develop as a hit reality tv production and not a staged production. I’ll be damned if I will ever expose myself to ridicule such as the ones you have ever again.

Having done your worst, I can only but say it is certainly bad enough. Your fees were never up for negotiation, nor were anyone else’s, you have chosen to run before walking, why tell me did you anticipate you were not going to get paid. Makeup and hair got paid, MC’s – Oreke and Adaora got paid, BEN TV got paid, PR got paid, taxi’s were paid for, caterer got paid, production got paid, hall hire (Hammersmith and Fulham Council) got paid, security got paid, Gele woman got paid, ushers got paid, hostesses got paid, tickteting staff got paid. Everybody but the three musketeers. Perhaps therein lies the story. You quit so many times that I lost count. As at when the show started I wassn’t ever sure you were still on board. You were not leading, you were not following, you were not getting out of the way. Why have you chosen to be a thorn?

Till the end I stood by you and worked with you, the least you could have done is done the same. Jesus, to think I went on record and qualified you as the best thing since slice bread in the event brochure. My how my words come back to haunt me! You didn’t deserve the glowing terms in which I have used to refer you. if only I could turn back time.

I repeat it is not a sin to have a vision or indeed to want people to come on board and share that vision. My mistake was in saying yes I’ll have her (you) on board. I did not know you before this event and in all fairness wish that you had remained unknown as you have done nothing but wreck havoc and unrest. Yours is not the midas touch – it si the medusa touch. You are poisonous. With your words on this blog and in countless conversations with every man and his dog, you have continued to undermine my production. I conceived it, I birthed it, I with the help of so may others and my God especially, it came to pass. Arleta go in peace and find that elusive thing which continues to elude you. Stop destroying dreams which people were born to fulfil.

It is not a sin to have a vision.It is not a sin to share that vision.It is not wrong to believe that no matter what life throws at you, you can and will overcome.A lot of people thought the NTM event would not go ahead and in the face of the most seemingly insurmountable of obstacles it has.It is not the first time that one would be verbally decapitated by people who one had trusted so much but sure enough, it is the most painful to date.

SHUT UP SANDRA(IF THAT IS YOUR REAL NAME)u are just a bloody thief.OLE,BARAWO.people like you give africans a bad name.bastard thief.please nobody wants to hear your side of the story.lets even put ariete aside.EVERYONE WHO WENT HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT IT.MY YOUNGER COUSINS GIRLFRIEND WAS ONE OF THE GIRLS WHO COMPETED YOU BITCH.AND SHE DIDNT HAVE A NICE WORD TO SAY ABOUT YOU.AND ALL THE GIRLS I HAVE MET SINCE THE SHOW.and ariete was TELLING THE GADDEM TRUTH.u are a thief and only GOd will pay you back a million fold up till your last generation for what you did.

WHAT FOOLISH VISION ARE YOU HAVING,U THIS THIEF?WHATY FOOLOSH VISION?MAY GOD BLIND YOUR EYES SO YOU WILL NEVER SEE ANY USELESS DEMONIC VISIONS AGAIN.

NOT ONE PERSON,NOT ONE HAD ANYTHING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT YOU OR YOUR SHOW.AND TO THINK I WASTED MY MONEY THINKING I WAS COMING FOR SOMETHING STANDARD.

THE WORD IS OUT THERE SANDRA……U CAN DEFEND URSELF ALL U LIKE, ITS A FREE WORLD and i expected you too anyway as i addressed u openly in my post didnt i?…..BUT THERE ARE OVER 20 PEOPLE AFFECTED BY YOUR DECIET WHO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WHO KNOW THE TRUTH…….DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE LADY……

Remember Stella?? What out for a transcript of the threatening text messages u sent her after kicking her out of the competition and refusing to give her back the money for the tickets she had sold to her friends and family.

hey e don happened, men u lied like a fucking bitch. u used every bodies head to hit each other u caused confusion among the girls. u lied to ivie omorgie that Sarah told u stuffs she never did. what were u expecting do u think girls don’t talk . u fucking lier do u know what ur lies caused backstage. do u know how many girls are bitching each other because of your lies and deceit.anyway its arieta and zey i blame for not breaking your head that night.anyway thanks for your dream as it has brought sum people together.come what did ivie do to u sef.

contestant who she made represent another state so she can gain contract 4rm d stateMay 4, 2007 at 2:43 pm

Nawa oh! I’m another contestant n 2 b honest i thought this woman was on point but after, i realised she was d devil in disguise. This woman said things amongst the models to make us hate ourselves. Sandra make God judge u. U made us believe u had a dream but u know what? ur scam back fired. We’ve promised ourselves that if the winners do not get their entitlements by next week then u’ll have urself 2 blame. 4 ur info we have d list of their entitlements n d court will b willing 2 c 2 us. U beta go n pay 4 d gold u bougth on credit from one of d contestant’s mum (u little wanna be. By d way, Arieta, Zee n Dami we all love u guys n thanks 4 all ur effort

i am one of the contestant as well.and i would like to say that SANDRA U R A FUCKING TWO TIMING IGNORANT BITCH….. AND TO EVERYONE OUT THERE I HAVE A VIDEO RECORDING OF ALL THE FIGHT AND HOW IVIE WAS THREATENED BACK STAGE.THE QHOLE SHOW TRUST ME ITS SUMIN Y’ALL WANT TO SEE…ALSO A VIDEO FOOTAGE OF HOW IVIE WAS CONSTANTELY CALLED IN THE HOTEL TO BE THREATENED MORE AND MORE BY SANDRA..ALSO TEXT MESSAGES SHE SENT TO STELLA ARE OUT THERE AND MANY MORE….COMING OUT SOOON…PLS GUY dont ate and blame us for the horrible pic as it was taken by sum CHEAAAAP photographer

My name is IVIE OMOREGIE, and I was the contestant that Miss Sandra ‘WilderBeast’ Powell tried to kick out of the show, the reason for which remains unknown to this day.

Through out the event I showed support. I was committed to the end, only to find that Miss WilderBeast was not who we had thought she was.

She is A LIER, A THEIF, A CROOK AND A FAKE.

I even went to the extent of organising a major sponsor for the show, in the form of CHIEF IGBINEDION, some of you might know who he is, for those of you that don’t, feel free to google him.

He gave her money and organised some traditional Bini clothing for the hostesses.

I was present when she willingly accepted his money, but not when she went to pick up the clothing.

During the week of the show I got a call from Miss WilderBeast, asking me to return the clothing. To this request I refused. I explained to her that to return clothing ordered for her from Nigeria would be rude. As the Chief is a family friend, the implications for me would have been great. I explained to her that if she truly did not want his support that she should also return his money. She said ok and we ended the conversation on good terms.

On the day before the event I arrive to an angry WilderBeast. She was asking me why I was there and insisting that I stand to one side.

At this point I am confused; me and Miss WilderBeast had not argued or exchanged harsh words. To my recollection we were on good terms. But yet she insists that I stand to one side.

When she finally speaks to me, she explained that her ‘Husband Who Drives A Hummer’ did not like me, and that because of ME they had been arguing all week. Till this day, this fact confuses me. The weekend prior, I had driven with her ‘Husband Who Drives a Hummer’ to primrose hill, and there was no animosity on either part.

It was here that she mentions that they had also been arguing because of the Chief. I then asked her if their arguments had been mainly because of me or because of the Chief, she then confirms that it had been because of the Chief.

she had made it clear to me that she had, in the past gone to the house occupied by the chief, and indeed on the day when we picked up the sponsorship money, I was asked to excuse them for roughly 30 minutes. What they were doing or discussing, I do not know.

MY SUSPECISION IS THAT THEY HAD BEEN SEXUALLY CONNECTED IN THE PAST, AND THAT WAS THE REAL REASON MISS WILDERBEAST AND ‘HER HUBBY WHO DRIVES A HUMMER’ HAD BEEN ARGUING.

She had told me that she was going to lie to ‘Her Hubby Who Drives A Hummer’ about going to see the Chief, when we had initially gone to see him. When she said this, I asked her why she was lying to her man, but she did not answer.

In my personal opinion, there is NO need to lie when you have nothing to hide.

putting all that aside, what sickens me about Miss WilderBeast is that she did not even have the guts to say openly that she did not want me on her stage. She would always indirectly say that her ‘Hubby Who Drives A Hummer’ did not like me, that I had done something at the filming of a music video.

THIS I FIND ANNOYING, AS I DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG.

When I asked her why he did not like me she could not give a straight answer. I offered to phone the organisers of the music video to explain to her that through out the whole filming I had not left the communal area, she said there was no need. I do not know why she felt so threatened by me, as I always showed her the utmost respect.

To put a twist in things, after the show, I discover that her ‘Husband Who Drives a Hummer’ is actually a long term family friend and that my parents had known this guy for over 18 years. I approach him and ask him why Miss WilderBeast had tired to embarrass me. To this he claimed to know nothing. He insisted that he had not said that he disliked me and did not have a clue of what I was talking about.

Miss WilderBeast was not the true organiser of the show. Credit for the show should go to Zee, Arieta and Dami.

They are the true fashionistas, who know the who is who in the London and Nigerian fashion scenes.

Miss WilderBeast does not have a clue.

Her Sense of fashion is just as dated and expired as she is. I am not one to judge people for what they choose to wear, but I often questioned in my head her choice of attire.

For a woman who claimed to have previously earned £600 per day, her choice of clothing was somewhat odd. Through out my whole time with her, she rarely changed her clothing, often wore track suite bottoms with high heeled shoes and often smelt of B.O.

To Miss Sandra ‘WilderBeast’ Powell, I know you are reading this. GOD WILL PUNISH YOU AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUNISH YOU. THE WAY YOU HAVE TREATED OTHER PEOPLES CHILDREN IS THE WAY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TREAT YOUR OWN CHILDREN. (THAT IS IF GOD HAS NOT ALREADY MADE YOU BARREN BECAUSE OF YOUR PREVIOUS SINS). YOU ARE A DISGREACE TO ALL NIGERIANS AND HAVE SHOWED WHY YOUR OWN PARENTS AND SIBLINS REFUSE TO TALK TO YOU. YOU WILL CONTINUE TO FALL INTO DAMNATION, BECAUSE YOU ARE TRULY AN EVIL WOMAN. YOU ARE A MINIPULATOR, A DECIEVER AND AN AGENT OF THE DEVIL.

To avoid any confusion, this comment was posted by the original IVIE OMOREGIE.

i know this woman has wronged you, but dont you think it is too much, y dont u leave evrything fot GOD to judge. commmon i guess she is human as well and somebody else’s child. haba its enuff now. just let things go.

every body is upset and we should understand that people have feelings, y don’t u stop all this what has happened has happened, y not let it all go and just continue with our lives.he who has no sin should cast the first stone. don’t judge people.

From an another contestant: First I just want to say that it was Zee, Arieta & Dami who at the end made the show what it was. Without them the show would have truely flopped!!!! Because they believed in us they did not just simply drop out (which they could have done) and stayed fighting our corner to the very END and to that I am extremely grateful.

Sandra says that this was her show and so on, so can then she explain the day before the event why she did not turn up to the hall until about 4pm and then on the day of the show 7pm (when doors open). To me that seems rather odd because I know if I was the organiser of the show I would have been there from the crack of dawn to oversee everything and make sure everything is going as planned, which she had NOT!!!! I also find it odd in her blog that she says that all 15 contestants should contact her via the website, does this not show that none of the contestants have spoken to her and wish not to, that she is appealing via the website for the models to get in contact with her. If she was truely the upstanding woman that she said she was the models would have already made contact with her to see what the next agenda is.

Sandra really did disappoint ALL of us, we thought this was a show with calibar that it was different to any anoher Naija show helled in London because she was being honest with us from the start. How wrong could we have been, at the beginning Sandra used to talk with us, have jokes with us and so on but that ALL changed on the say before the event. When she breezeed in @ 4pm ahe did not say ANYTHING to us at all she prtended that we werent there. When we went to have dinner that very same evening she did not sit with us but sat at the other side of the restaurant. On the day of the event she came into the dressing at around 8/9pm to let us know that Ivie was now being reinstated into the competition (that was the first time that the most of the models had seen her that day). That’s when I knew when this competition was over I would have nothing to do with her.

I am not her to condemn Sandra or to judge her and just want people to be aware as to how she let us ALL down and she is not the woman that she said she was. I cannot even put into words how Zee, Arieta & Dami (with the help of others but maily them) RESCUED that day and did everything in their power to make sure that we (the models) got on that stage!!!!

This competition has given me the exposure that I need to continue what I love doing, I will just be extra vigilant with the people that I choose to work with in the future

one of the contestant….. first of all i know sandra did wrong but to be honest THE DEED HAS BEEN DONE!!! and everyone needs to forget about the whole thing and move on with their lives. The woman is definately going to be judged all this things about her family and personal life… is not necessary and i think its all a waste of time.

The fact that the woman even replied and lied about most of things that happens, that just means that she isnt worth talking about. Areita did enough exposing her, just letting the world know that there’s people like her out there….

i give props to Z, areita and dami they did a wonderful job and they will surely be blessed for that so everyone should just give it a rest.

I think pictures should be put up of the woman, and if possible her boyfriend, to avoid this sort of thing repeating itself…This truly has given nigerians a bad name, but people must remember that not all nigerians are like this…

HELLO EVERYONE, I BELEIVE THAT LIFE IS FULL OF UPS AND DOWNS AND MANY THINGS HAPPEN IN LIFE FOR US TO LEARN FROM. I AM NOT HERE TO TAKE SIDES I JUST WANNA ADD THAT THIS WHOLE ISSUE WAS A RESULT OF BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION AND LACK OF PLANNING. I FEEL THAT WHOEVER TRIES TO ORGANISE SUCH AN EVENT NEXT TIME SHOULD MAKE SURE THEY CARRY OUT THIER FEASIBLITY STUDY CARFULLY TO AVOID OBSTACLES. YOU SEE THE PROBLEM WITH US NIGERIANS IS THAT WE MAKE TOO MUCH NOISE OF SOMETHING WE ARE NOT AND ITS SUCH A PITY. I REALLY DONT KNOW HOW TO BITCH ABOUT ANOTHER PERSON BUT I PLEAD WITH ALL THE LADIES INVOLVED TO JUST LET THIS GO AND TRY TO BE FRIENDS AGAIN COS U MUST HAVE ALL STARTED FROM SOMEWHERE WHEN THE GOING WAS GOOD. SANDRAS VISION IS AN EXCELLENT ONE AND WHOEVER ASSOCIATED WITH HER TO MAKE IT COME TRUE IS AN ACHEIVER AS WELL. THERE ARE MANY MORE EVENTS TO COME IN LIFE AND PLS DONT LETS RUIN EVERYTHING NOW. I KNOW SOME OF U WILL BE WAITING TO BRING EACH OTHER DOWN, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IF YOU FEEL, SANDRA OR ZEE OR ARIETA IS GOOD FOR A PARTICULAR JOB, DON’T HESITATE TO PUT THEIR NAMES FORWARD AS YOUR REWARD IS IN HEAVEN. AND FOR ALL THE CONTESTANTS, TRY NOT GET URSELVES INVOLVED TOO MUCH IN THIS, ITS NEGATIVE AND YOU ALL REALLY HAVE TO BE THNKING OF THE POSTITIVE SIDE OF THINGS. YOU STILL HAVE A LOT MORE CHANLLENGES TO COME YOUR WAY SO PLS DONT TALK ABOUT IT AND DONT TAKE SIDES, BE NEUTRAL AND JUST WISH EACH OTHER WELL IN ORDER TO SUCCEED IN LIFE, GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

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It is such a shame that you (those who slander her)are soo mad angry and bitter. Your loaded words speak the vernom in your heart.

I have known sandra for years and yes she talks the talks and walks the walk. She is a strong woman with true vision. She is an achiever and a winner. She has done what you (those who slander her) can only dream off…and even with that your dream would be flawed.

i attended the event and to make it clear i am giving my views as a man and also as someone that is involved in the entertainment industry and does many big successful events.

i can understand that a lot of the models and people involved in the competition are upset at what took place but i do think that some of the personal attacks and cursing are not called for.

sandra’s problems were very simple she failed to understand how difficult it is to put a big show together, did nottret people with respect and she mixed business and pleasure – a fatal error. if all of her decisions were made on a professional basis and she explained her decisions to the appropiate people then the problems would not have been as bad as they were and if she did not let her pride get in the way and she used the 3 fashionista ladies to their fullest the show might have been even better. it is important when doing a show to be able to recognise one limitations and not let ones ego get in the way. their are lessons to be learnt from this show.

it must be said that we all make mistakes, but hopefully she learnt from them. Having seen the show unless she was getting a serious amount of money from sponsors i would be very surprised if she made any money at all and it is unlikely that she covered her costs.

it is important to remember that, we all at times in our life may do things that fail and people may be affected by our failure but it does not mean that it is done intentionally or that we should suffer such horrifc abuse.

christian spirit says we must forgive but more importantly we must learn from such experiences.

from watching the show i can state that it was not well organised and things went wrong. the same happened with celebrity big brother, things went wrong they suffered a lot of negative publicity but it still goes on.

finally as much as i want to try and defend sandra i must state that unfortunately her actions and the quality of the show have affected the rest of us involved in the UK entertainment industry – by this i mean that when we approach people that were involved in the NTM show to work with them on other shows, because of their experience at the NTM show they do not want to be involved in another show.

SANDRA, it is also good no matter how bad things may be to answer your phone and talk to people, that alone can diffuse a bad situation.

LADIES THEIR ARE LOTS OF GOOD MODELLING & BEAUTY PAGEANTS OUT THEIR – DO NOT LET THIS SCAR YOU FOR LIFE!

As a South African – I have read this blog and thank God that I am not Nigerian.

You guys really do not know how to support each other at all.

I was at the event and had a good time with my friends. We are all wished we were Nigerians on the Night. We had never seen such a big event organised by an African before.

When Sandra came out on stage on the night there was a big welcome for her on stage so where and when did all this hatred happen?

We even saw Arieta dancing in the hall and she looked like she was enjoying herself. what nonsense this is! I think all this is jealousy against Sandra and her show. If she was so bad from the start why did you work with her? Were you all that desparate? You must have been.

To now see all this stuff means we are now thanking God we are not Nigerians.

You guys are truly as bad as the rest of the world says you are. Learn to support one another and then maybe you will get the success that you deserve.

Get a life Arieta and Ivie and stop all this nonsense. You people are truly wicked and did not deserve to be counted as Nigerians let alone Africans.

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well,i really like that you have this good idea and you you are doing something about it, so keep up bella.I think you should do it in Nigeria, use Nigerian designers,and and what we have for this good show.Tyra uses her ideas foe America’s next top model and its going on well. so we want your original idea Bella.

Yikes… I used to rent a place to Sandra, briefly, before she ran off without paying her rent and bills, returned a month later and assaulted me. I’d packed up her things, amongst which I found dozens of CCJS, default notices, eviction and reposession notices, under 3 or 4 different names, Sandra Lord, Sandra Powers, Sandra Maduike…

The lady wrote me horrible slanderous emails and sent me threatening text messages and obscene voicemails and when I finally evicted her she took my keys so I had to change all the locks, this was after she’d turned over my room. She called me a thief when I’d only packed up her things because I thought she’d done a runner and said she’d go to the police. I said if there was anything else she wanted to collect to call me and arrange a time when I could have someone there for my own safety as she’d shoved me around my lounge like a rag doll (I’m 5ft and 7 stone!) but she said she’d make me vomit out her things (which I didn’t have).

In the end I went to the police who advised me that I could have her charged with assault, but I decided not to as I’d hoped that would be my last encounter with her! She was also reported to the legal team at the company where we worked as she should not be working for financial institutions (or anywhere else by the sounds of it!)

I’m so sorry to all you girls who have suffered at her hands, she spent much of her time sweet-talking people loudly on the phone while she lived with me and she definitely knew when to charm and when to play the victim.

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please get back to me. will you consider having a “west Africa’s next top model”? I think it will be great to bring the EVENT home(ie Africa).it doesn’t necessarily have to take the reality show format as many are suggesting. your one off big event either in Nigeria or Ghana will make incomparablewaves. I really will like to work with you if you are interested in getting Ghanaian models involved in your EVENT. good work,

to miss south africa…. why are u using Gods name in vain? U ‘Thank God u are not nigerian’ making judgment from an incident that you have seen, every country has their bad points and good points about Nigerians, there are lot of good points that out weigh the bad, but poeple like you(non Nigerians)are the first to pick out the bad and exaggerate and make out as if your more blessed than us. PLEASE!!!…get a life